The Gunners should easily pick off preoccupied Sunderland, plus four other picks to make up a healthy FA Cup five-fold on third-round weekend
2/9 – Arsenal to beat Sunderland
Holders Arsenal host Sunderland on Saturday afternoon as they look to begin a second successful defence of the trophy.
The Gunners are top of the Premier League and are in good form – particularly at the Emirates where they have won eight and drawn one of their last nine matches in all competitions.
Sunderland arrive in the middle of a relegation battle and so a cup run is unlikely to be much of a priority for Sam Allardyce, with league safety his main concern.
These two sides met in the league a month ago when Arsenal came out on top as 3-1 winners and a similar outcome is highly likely once again.
5/6 – Watford to beat Newcastle
Watford welcome Newcastle in another all-Premier League clash this weekend, having been unlucky to lose their last two games against Tottenham and Manchester City.
However, the Hornets will expect to return to winning ways against a Newcastle side that are still in the relegation zone.
The Magpies have lost their last three on the bounce – all by the same scoreline of 1-0 – and have already suffered defeat to Watford this season after losing 2-1 on home soil back in September.
Watford have surprised a lot of people with their fine performances this season and, sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, can now focus on a cup run that would further add to an incredible campaign so far.
4/6 – West Brom to beat Bristol City
West Bromwich Albion welcome Championship strugglers Bristol City to the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon, looking to make it three wins on the bounce after league victories over Newcastle and Stoke.
Tony Pulis has already masterminded a run to the FA Cup final with Stoke in 2011 and Bristol City are unlikely to stop his new side in their tracks.
The visitors are in the Championship relegation zone and their priority will be to achieve survival after being promoted last season.
They haven’t won in five and have lost their last three away games by an aggregate score of 9-0.
West Brom won 7-0 in their third-round match against Gateshead last season and should not have too much difficulty in making the fourth round once more here.
8/11 – West Ham to beat Wolves
West Ham United will expect to advance past the third round for the second straight season when they host Wolves on Saturday afternoon.
The high-flying Hammers have not lost in seven and sit sixth in the Premier League.
Upton Park has become a fortress in its final year, with Slaven Bilic’s side not losing at home since August and recording back-to-back victories over Southampton and Liverpool.
Wolves travel to West Ham in good form, having won three on the bounce in the Championship, but have not made it past the third round in four seasons and will struggle to end that run here.
West Ham won the only previous FA Cup meeting between these two sides 3-1 back in 2004 and can be confident of attaining a similar result this time around.
1/2 – Derby to beat Hartlepool
League Two strugglers Hartlepool welcome Derby County in a game that looks set to only go one way.
Hartlepool sit 21st in the bottom tier and have lost four straight league games coming into this one.
Things are going a lot better for Derby, who sit second in the Championship and have their eyes set firmly on promotion to the Premier League.
These two are separated by 66 places in the Football League and that gulf should be evident on Saturday as the Rams cruise through to the fourth round.
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